Uganda Premier LeagueURA FCVipers SC

StarTimes UPL: Cromwell, Ojera on target for URA to hand Vipers first loss

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Cromwell Rwothomio and Joachim Ojera were both on target on Saturday evening as URA handed Vipers their first StarTimes Uganda Premier League loss.

The Tax Collectors defeated the Venoms 2-0 in a game played at the St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende.

Ojera netted in the first half while Cromwell was on target in the closing half.

Vipers had the first attempts at the goal in the opening exchanges with two brilliant chances in the opening 10 minutes.

Caesar Manzoki skied a brilliant Aziz Kayondo cross over the crossbar while Milton Karisa rattled the bar after a Bright Anukani cornerkick.

But with arguably URA FC first attempt at goal, they took the lead after a composed Steven Mukwala run.

Mukwala received the ball from Saidi Kyeyune to beat off both Paul Willa and Halid Lwaliwa and square the ball to Ojera who calmly guided the ball past Fabien Mutombora and into the back of the net to break the deadlock in the 16th minute.

Milton Karisa received the first caution of the game for bringing down Moses Sseruyinde who had dribbled past him.

In the 38th minute, the Tax Collectors had to doubled their lead but Saidi Kyeyune wasted a wonderful chance as he agonizingly put his free-kick few metres above the crossbar with Mutombora well beaten.

The game would have been level before the break but Hudu Mulikyi made a goal-line to stop Karisa’s effort that had eluded Hannighton Ssebwalunyo.

The game went into the break with the hosts trailing 1-0.

At the start of the second half, Vipers head coach Roberto Oliveira made his first change, bringing on Abdul Karim Watambala for Anukani with hope to increase his side’s creativity upfront.

Few minutes later, Angola’s Nelito Tavarez also came on for Ibrahim Orit.

The first realistic chances of the second half came in the 61st minute with a Kyeyune’s ferocious free kick that was parried away by Mutombora.

Vipers then also replied with an attempt- Bobosi Byaruhanga made a sweet turn to shot from outside the box but his effort went just wide.

From an awful Mutombora error, Cromwell Rwothomio doubled the Tax Collectors lead, netting in on rebound after the Vipers goalie failed to collect a teasing Ashraf Mandela teasing cross.

In the closing exchanges of the game, Vipers tried their level best to pull a goal back but the Tax Collectors was rock solid.

Vipers stay second on the log with 13 points, now six points adrift of arch-rival and log leaders KCCA FC. They play Gaddafi next away from on home on Wednesday.

For URA, they climb into 7th with 10 points having played five games so far.

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